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WHAT SHOULD I GIVE MY PUPPY TO CHEW?
Dogs are impressively equipped with teeth that are reminders of their carnivorous heritage. The choice of appropriate ways to occupy your pet’s powerful jaws can prevent damage to your belongings and avoid medical problems for your canine friend.
TEETHING: Puppies, like children, are born toothless. Between 4 and 6 weeks of age a needle-sharp row of decidous (baby) teeth erupt, and pups will grab at anything with their mouth. Usually they do not engage in purposeful chewing at this stage. Serious chewing behavior usually starts when the baby teeth are lost to make way of the adult teeth. This stage starts at about 14 weeks and last until 6 months of age, and the teething process is accompanied by an almost incessant destruction of anything within reach. Special care should be taken to direct the chewing behavior towards objects which will be acceptable to both the dog and the owner. Not all chewing is due to the dog’s natural need to chew. Sometimes a dog will show willfully destructive behavior, such as chewing up your closet full of shoes while you are at the store. Your pet may be upset that you left him home, and he is communicating his displeasure. A destructive behavior problem requires retraining and behavior modification, not more toys.Ideally, a young dog should be provided with a half-dozen interesting objects that are his own to chew. The puppy may become bored with only 1 or 2 objects, so a variety of items can be offered, and they may be rotated to maintain the puppy’s interest. If the pup has his own toys, you may scold when the puppy chews on an item that is not his own; dogs have a very good understanding of what is theirs and what is yours.
CHEW ITEMS SHOULD BE CHOSEN CAREFULLY. The basic rule-of-thumb is that a dog should only be allowed to chew on items which he cannot chew into pieces and swallow(unless the pieces are digestible). Some typical chew objects are summarized below.
BONES: An old stand-by, but one discouraged by most veterinarians. Large chunks of bone may become lodged in the mouth or throat, but more commonly lower intestinal irritation results from the ingestion of the hundreds of tiny flakes of bone splintered off by the chewing process. Unless a bone is large enough that your pet cannot chew anything off of it, it would be wise to avoid bones altogether.
NYLON BONES: Those meat-scented imitations will satisfy many dogs, and they can be used safely. Some large dogs will be able to demolish even these synthetic look-alikes, in which case they should not be used. Most dogs just don't think these fake bones are very appealing.
RAWHIDE CHEWTOYS: A favorite with many puppies, but caution must still be used. Rawhide is not completely digestible, and may irritate the stomach if a large amount is swallowed. These toys are very good for dogs that are content to chew on them without tearing off pieces to swallow. The most hazardous part of the rawhide to swallow is the big knot at each end, so the chew toy should be taken away before the knot is chewed loose. Rawhide is excellent for keeping tartar from accumulating on the teeth.
PIG EARS AND COW HOOVES: These are similar to rawhide chews, and the same cautions apply. They are slightly more likely to cause intestinal upset, but can be given if they do not cause any vomiting.
RUBBER TOYS: As playthings, rubber “squeaky toys” are fine for playing fetch or for the smallest pup, but chewing is likely to result in rubber foreign material in the stomach and a trip to the veterinarian.
TENNIS BALLS AND STUFFED SOCKS: As long as these household items are indestructible for your pet, they can give him hours of enjoyment, both for chewing and for playing games. Make sure that your pet can distinguish HIS sock for YOUR socks, however.
KONG TOYS are rubber beehive-shaped chew toys that are indestructible, and they are hollow inside. Packing some food treats inside the Kong Toy makes the ideal entertainment for the dog that wants an interesting chew item.
GREENIES: These "digestible" chew treats are shaped like a big green toothbrush, and they are great for keeping the teeth clean and the breath good. They have a hard, slightly rubbery consistency and a taste dogs love. They contain chlorophyll to help the breath. There has been controversy surrounding these chew items, however. Several dogs have died after getting a Greenie caught in the throat, so they should be given with caution and supervision.
MILKBONES: The edible dog treats for chewing can be given to almost any dog. If your pet has a tendency towards overweight, you may have to decrease his regular meals slightly to allow for the calories from his “recreational eating.”
A FINAL NOTE: Sometimes dogs love their chew toys too much. Dogs that overly passionate about chewing on a rawhide or demolishing a Greenie are more likely to get in trouble by swallowing a large chunk. A really great chew item may also cause the dog to become too possessive, defending his prize aggressively when a human or another dog comes by. Dogs that excessively "guard" their chew toys should be given items that are a little less desirable.
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